An Owl at the Window
by meilimingzi
Summary: Sirius survives the battle at the Department of Mysteries and the Ministry gives Sirius his freedom. Sirius gets custody of Harry, and together they discover that Sirius is more than Harry's Godfather... AU, as in Sirius survives and raises Harry. Will stay mostly true to the books though.
1. Chapter 1

_Unfortunately, I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters in this work. That is a right only J.K. Rowling holds. This story will be AU, as in Sirius doesn't die. But the rest of the story I hope to keep similar with a few changes here and there. Please review and follow! The more reviews, the faster I update, although they are not totally necessary._

The night was clear and bright as Remus hurried along the side of the road toward Surrey. He had been sent by Dumbledore with the best news imaginable. The Ministry, after witnessing the events that transpired at the Department of Mysteries, had ruled in favor of Sirius gaining freedom. And with that, came custody of Harry.

Dumbledore had been in good spirits as the adoption and custody papers had been placed into Sirius's hands. Sirius's smile had seemed to light the room, as he signed his name and took responsibility for Harry. Dumbledore could not help but be incredibly happy for young Harry, who had lost his parents so young and been abused by his relatives for so long. Tonight, was the beginning of a new chapter in Harry's life. A much happier chapter, Dumbledore hoped.

Sirius had immediately set out to set up the house and get a room ready for Harry and had contacted Remus with the good news. Remus let out a sigh of relief. No longer did he need to worry about his old school friend getting himself caught and arrested out of boredom. On the other hand, he was now going to be worried about the main influence on Harry's life. _Oh well,_ he figured he would just need to check on Harry and Sirius and give advice if it was needed.

And so Sirius sent Remus to go and fetch Harry as soon as possible. Remus figured night was the best time. Perhaps his relatives were asleep and Harry could sneak out and there would be no need of a confrontation. He was sorely disappointed though, when the lights of Number 4 Privet Drive came into view.

Remus approached the house with caution but decided against it when he heard yelling inside that sounded like Harry and a woman. Remus quickly walked up to the door and rang the bell as if he had heard nothing and was not about to steal away Harry away permanently. The door was flung open by a whale of a man that matched the whale of a boy. _This must be Vernon_, Remus pondered, as the man and woman suddenly became silent. Remus proceeded to introduce himself only to be interrupted half way through his name by Petunia.

"Vernon, he's one of _them." _Petunia, who now looked sick, turned to her nephew. Her gaze gave Remus the distinct impression there was no love lost between the Aunt and nephew. "Did you know he was coming? Did you know there would be another of your kind showing their face in my house?"

Harry looked tired and very wary, but immensely happy to see Remus. Remus smiled at the tired boy across the room, and took a seat in the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, I come with some rather life changing news. Your nephew, who usually spends the summer with you, no longer needs to seek lodging with you. A verdict was given today in favor of Harry's godfather, and the adoption papers have been signed. Your nephew will now go to live with his godfather, Sirius Black." The shock and awe in the room was palpable, and everyone reacted differently. Petunia and Vernon were stunned and speechless. Harry on the other hand, looked as though he could not have been made happier.

"Are you sure? I can go and live with him? He really wants me to come live with him? He really meant it?" Harry looked so hopeful, but also slightly skeptical. Remus smiled at Harry with all the reassurance he could muster into a facial expression. "Of course he does, he has been hoping you would come to live with him from the beginning. You are what has kept him going Harry."Remus felt now more than ever, that Harry had the most right to be happy. Even now, he was slightly unsure if Sirius wanted him. He had obviously never known what being wanted felt like.

"Harry, go pack your bags and trunks and we'll be on our way. I just need to speak for a moment with your Aunt and Uncle." Harry bounded up the stairs out of sight, and Remus could hear a faint mumble coming from behind the couch as a fat blonde poked out and looked at him. Remus looked up and the smile disappeared. His glare was focused on Vernon and Petunia.

"I will have you know that I am aware of the treatment Harry has received while living with you. I know what you have done. I know that you never loved him like he was one of your own, like you promised Albus Dumbledore. And I will part with you tonight with a warning. He may not have biological family in the wizarding world, but he has family. He has me and he has his godfather and we will allow no more harm to come to him. Not by you and not by anyone else. I am a very reasonable man, but you don't want me for an enemy but as the status quo stands, you are very close to calling me one. Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Dursley. Dudley."

Just then, Harry came back down the stairs and stared at the scene in front of him. Obviously, Remus had said something that shook them all. But Remus showed no signs of issuing an ultimatum. He smiled at Harry like always, and helped him load him belongings onto a trolley. "How are you Harry, really?" Harry looked up at Remus and smiled sadly. "As well as I ever do I suppose. I'm alright. Mrs. Weasley would say I'm too thin, but she's not exactly subjective either." Remus smiled at the boy. He really had missed Harry these last few months. He was easy company to keep.

Remus held out his arm and nudged Harry to take it. "Hold on tight, Harry. Side-along apparition is a nasty business." "What about my belongings", he asked as he pointed to the cart behind him. "Oh, don't worry about those. I have already charmed them to appear in your room soon. All that's left is for us to apparate to Grimmauld Place."

Harry took Remus's arm and was quickly pulled through a void that felt both freeing and suffocating at the same time. Harry hit the ground sputtering. Remus knelt down beside him, patting him on the back. "The first time is always the hardest. I'm rather impressed you didn't vomit. Most people vomit." Harry chuckled as he stood back up. His glasses were knocked askew on his nose but even without his glasses, he would know Grimmauld Place anywhere. He quickly righted his glasses and looked at Remus.

"Come on, I have a key here somewhere in my pocket. Aha! Here it is. He should be upstairs. I need to go and write Professor Dumbledore a letter letting him know we have retrieved you successfully. Go on and find Sirius. He should be upstairs." and with that, Remus ducked out of the alcove and left Harry to his own search for his godfather. It didn't long though, since Sirius was singing at the top of his lungs. Harry had never heard the song before, but suspected it was a muggle hit. Harry knocked on the door frame of the room her had found Sirius in. Sirius looked up and smiled a wide and beatific smile. "I take it Remus told you the good news?" Harry and Sirius embraced, both too happy to put into words.

No one I the house noticed a new name being formed on the Black family tapestry and no one noticed an owl hooting at the window. Both were omens of what was to come.

_Please review and add to your favorites! Tell me what you all think. This is going to be AU, but not to over board. I am going to try to stay true to the story, except Sirius doesn't die in the figh_t _at the Department of Mysteries and he adopts Harry. So Harry is going to have more moral support for the challenges to come. Please review!_


	2. Chapter 2: A New Name on an Old Tapestry

_Sorry it took so long to update. I hope this is a great read for you all. I didn't have too much time to proofread, so please forgive misspellings and errors. I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. Please follow and review this story. I love to hear from you all. You keep me going. What do you all think will happen next? Type it in the review box!_

Sirius could hear the sound of thudding on the stair case above the kitchen. Harry was here. Which meant that Remus would be through the door shortly, an the meeting could start. Sirius really hated Order meetings. He enjoyed helping people, and he wanted nothing more than to keep his Godson safe. But he wanted to fight, and he wanted to make his cousins pay for what they have done. He wanted to fight Bellatrix because he was a doer not a talker.

But Sirius recognized the threat that was posed by this sort of attitude. He realized through the fog of restlessness on his mind, that at this moment, he was a weak link. He was a weak link because he wanted to fight and Dumbledore wanted nothing more than to keep him locked in his parents' house. This idea was making his condition even worse though. Being forced to inhabit the very place in which nothing but abuse was inflicted upon him as a child was more than torture. It was demoralizing. And not having Harry with him was all the worse.

Harry had become the reason for everything that Sirius did these days. He would have been the reason for everything that Sirius did if Sirius had been allowed to keep Harry after the death of his parents. He never should have been handed over to the Dursley's. Sirius could remember that day at the end of Harry's third year, when he asked Harry to come and live with him and Harry had immediately responded by saying yes. Sirius had many hours over these last months to ponder what would cause a young boy to up and be willing to move in with a man who he barely knew and leave behind a family who had raised him. Sirius had also spent quite some time trying not to pay attention to these lonely afternoons. He knew what would cause it. He could only imagine why Harry was so withdrawn and frail at the beginning of every term and why he was so revived by being away from his relatives. But Sirius was to lost in the feelings of guilt to fully explore these ideas. He still could not take Harry, and Harry would still have to go back, and if Sirius was right... he may never be able to forgive himself.

_Thud, thud, thud..._ the sound resonates in the walls of the kitchen as Remus appears on the stairs coming down. He looked exhausted. The full moon was 3 days away, and the gray hue of his face showed the stress that Remus endured every month. He was obviously distressed about the coming moon, but there was something else that weighted on his mind. Sirius could tell that words must have been exchanged at Privet Dr. and Sirius just hoped the muggles were still alive. But he also worried about Harry.

"Remus, my boy, how did it go?" Dumbledore was the first to speak and the room fell silent. Everyone gazed at Remus to be told of how Harry was doing. Remus looked up at the room, and dropped his head again. "Every year, we leave him with those people, and what happens? Surely Dumbledore you have noticed how his clothes never fit, he is underweight, and he becomes withdrawn. Those muggles don't understand him. They don't understand us. Honestly, Dumbledore, how do you think it went?"

The room was cast in lingering silence. Remus rarely made statements against muggles and this was particularly emotional. Tonks reached out and stroked the back of Remus' sweater. He was so exhausted he didn't stop her like he usually did. Sirius felt the same way. When Dumbledore saw Harry, he saw the weapon that was going to end the war. When Remus and Sirius saw Harry, they just saw Harry.

"Remus, my boy, you know why we leave him with his relatives at Privet Dr. He is safe as long as he lives with his mothers sister. He will live to fight this war." Remus shot up out of his chair and looked Dumbledore in the face. You have no idea. You have no idea what you put him through. You have never told him anything that he needs to know. Why have you not told him about the prophecy? Why have you not told him about his scar, and the possibility it is a horcrux? You are saving him so he can at the proper moment. You are raising him like a pig for slaughter!" Remus stomped from the room fuming. The Headmaster sat at the head of the table. He looked at the rest of the Order and they looked back at him.

"We should continue the meeting. Remus will rejoin us when he has calmed down. Now, on to-"

"Sirius!" Remus called from up the stairs. He sounded like he had seen a ghost, and Sirius would not be surprised if he had, what with all the creatures that had been crawling out from beneath the carpets these last few days. Sirius jogged up the stairs to the ground story, and down the hall toward the sound of Remus' voice. Sirius found him in the former parlor, gazing very sternly at the tapestry on the wall. Remus turned and gestured for Sirius to come closer. Sirius had no idea what this old tapestry had to do with anything. He had seen it a million times and he was always unsettled by standing in front of it.

But Sirius realized what Remus had been referring to when he gestured him over. Beneath his name, now a burned hole in the wall, was a new name. A familiar name. Harry James Potter. Time stopped for Sirius. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't move. He was frozen, as if hit with a paralyzing spell or a stunning charm.

Remus left his side for a moment and returned soon with witnesses or and a letter in his hand. "Hermione said there was an owl knocking on the upstairs window, and she let it in. This was in its beak." Sirius could feel the weight of the paper and he recognized the insignia on the envelope. The Department of Ancient Families. Just like his father received when Sirius was 15. Just like Harry is now.

_I took some lines away from Severus and gave them to Remus. Hope you all are okay with it. It seemed like the right thing to do. There will not be a lot of Snape in this story, if any, so I added those lines in. Enjoy! Review! _


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